Chapter 1: Meeting
11:11 p.m.-The dark night grew colder, clouds swishing in and out, half covering the full moon. Noises of crickets covered the endless night in their song harmonizing with the wind playing its part of loud whistles hustling around the area of soundless sleepers. Few were awake to hear the beautiful noises of Mother Nature take in its role at the endless night.
Ray was one of these few who were up, starring at the starry sky of above on his dusty porch. Just listening to the wind howls and crickets hum made him think of home. Not that there was anything left except a barren area of scorched forest and ruins of his once very alive home.
He could remember the sweet smell of breakfast seep into his room every morning when he awoke. He remembered his mother’s cooking in the kitchen and his father always coming home from work a few minutes late every day. His little twin brother always following him around like a puppy. Nothing was left of that life except an old album about 9 years overdue. That’s it…about 9 years passed from that frightful night when everything plunged in smoke, smothering the sweet aromas with nothing but burnt wood and flesh. That was when he had lost everything. Just like that. Nobody knows how the fire started…just that it had happened. He was the only one that got out alive. How? He didn’t know.
His last memories about it was after the fire started, his mother who had been buried in the ashes and splinters of the scorched wood was gone; his father had pushed him out through a warm hole yet to be devoured. His father’s last words sank into his mind as if he knew himself what the future beheld.
There was a figure that night when the house burnt completely, right before he blacked out. From what he knew it was just a shadow of his smoky mind playing tricks on him like how you usually get right in the process of blacking out. When he woke up the rest of the hunters, or the people somewhat like the police only of a much higher rank, had rescued him from the wreck and was told no corpses’ had remained. Ray was only 10 then and off to start a new life…if he could.
“How pathetic!” he said to himself. He hadn’t started a new life, only to be living in torment for the rest of his days, to be exact, 9 years’ worth. It was torture just to think about it. Ever since the first year of the incident, his master randomly walked off on him with the words, “I’ll be back.” Did he? Of course not!
A little voice in the back of his head kept repeating the single word, “pathetic”. Which this of many cases, he was. If he would just move on with his life this torment would be over and he might actually have something worth living. All he did was keep his self alive and not moving on with a new life or anything, but rather live in eternal torture and once in a while be stopped by his group of friends. Group? More like two other people. Otherwise his daily life consisted of staying home and resting or going out maybe once a month for a job. Surprisingly he stayed in shape during that whole month.
A chill passed through his spine as he arose from his position and walked inside, closing the glass door and finally laid on the sofa. There was nothing supernatural about his life, nothing at all…so why was he still alive and no one else he had loved. That part just didn’t seem to make enough sense except maybe there WAS something worth living for. Well…he wouldn’t know unless he actually would see it coming. As if no time had passed by, his mind drifted into the pitch blackness of his mind…
9:19 a.m. - The morning light gloomed over the land, awakening many creatures within its glorious range. The sunlight of the breezing morning shined through the glass doors and onto Ray’s face. He awoke, dazed as if he had just been blinded by an angel. The foggy mist beautified the wondrous land, making everything nice and moist.
Ray blinked a few times and stretched with a mighty yawn, wiping back his greasy black hair. His glossy-bright, icy blue eyes blurring everything they saw. After sitting up, taking in a big puff of air in his lungs, he opened his eyes and let it all out. He then moved at a 90 degree angle and sat there, face in his hand trying to get a better view on things. Once he could see he looked around the living room and found it all spotless. Was it that way before he fell asleep?
A sudden movement caught his eye as he burst himself up, off the couch. He turned to find Domelle and Nero sitting at the table. They looked at him with sudden surprise.
“I see you’re finally up, sleepy head!” Domelle said, breaking the silence.
“Why are you in my house? I remember locking it before I went to bed…” Ray replied.
“Well remember that one time when you were late meeting us at your house, you gave us a key? And you should really clean up after yourself. Want mice?!” she said slightly annoyed.
Ray just stood there waiting for her to finish her smart-alec comments. Once she was finished, Nero took over, “Well now that that’s over, how about we all say were here to get ice-cream! There’s nothing better than go outside, hang with a few friends, and have fun right?! Instead of sleeping all day in a mice invested, gloomy house, all alone, right?” he smirked looking as he was about to laugh.
“It’s not mice infested! And I haven't had enough time to do that. I’ve been busy with a lot of stuff.”
“Oh sure, I bet that’s why!” she frowned, unbelieving. As if a millennium had passed, they were on their way to Basking Robins which was one of their favorite places to visit. Nothing better than ice-cream to sooth the soul, right?
Ray had ordered a blueberry ice-cream cone, Domelle ordered minty delight in a plastic cup, and Nero ordered a sherbert full with thick blue and small pink and yellow swirls topped with a lot of whip cream. It was their favorite treat to get on a nice summer day off of work and school. Domelle and Nero, being twins, did look alike. They were never confused with: cousin, friends or anything like that. Everyone knew that they HAD to be twins seeing little difference except their eyes and of course other bodily figures. Domelle had bright green eyes and chocolaty brown curly hair. Nero had nice silky chocolaty brown hair with icy blue eyes. Their height was the same; their weight was almost the same. Nero had like 10 lbs. extra from muscle.
“Hey, what’re you starring at?!” Domelle cried.
“Nothing…it’s just that you and your brother just look a hell a lot alike.”
Domelle glared and turned, spooning another bite of her minty ice-cream. Nero made a brief laugh and smiled enjoying the last bit of his ice-cream before saying, “well you wouldn’t be the first.” And smirked, stretching putting his arms up trying to amuse the girls that were passing by. They giggled and moved on signaling with body language: call me! Nero smirked and winked before they disappeared around the corner.
“You really know how to get a girl don’t cha?! Why don’t you tell Ray the secret in how you do it, seeing how he’s sucha loner and all, maybe a girl would make you less gloomy?!” Domelle smirked, thinking of random single girls who seemed to also be a loner.
“Nah, I’m not really into that stuff like your brother is. I don’t mind being alone, it’s actually a relief. Girls can be so pessimistic!” he smirked back at her, teasing.
“Bastard! Thanks! Nero you’re my brother, beat him up! Never mind I’ll do it myself!” Domelle and Ray chased each other around the table and building, Ray dodging and Domelle trying to kick his sorry butt.
Nero smiled and put his hand to his head shaking it slowly lightly laughing. As he did that, a small boy appeared and asked, “Are you Ray Benson?”
Nero looked at him questionably and said, “no, but I know him, he’s very good friends with my sister and I. do you need him?” the child shook his head, face all pale with red, rosy cheeks. A few seconds later he hastily gave Nero the piece of paper and started running for the street to get across.
Before he entered the almost empty street he yelled, “Don’t open it! Give it to Ray, it’s his!” Nero watched him run away with curiosity, wondering if he should stop him, but after a few seconds, he disappeared. Ray ran up to him with Domelle who was only a split second away. They bent down, hands on their knees, trying to catch their breath. After a few seconds which had seemed like minutes, Nero handed him the envelope for which the little boy gave. Ray looked at him in a confused way, Nero shrugging, and looked back at it, beginning to open it.
The envelope was cool against his fingers, absent of wrinkles of the tanned colored paper. On it was opened, he fondled in the envelope only to bring out a folded piece of paper. He held the torn envelope in between his side and elbow while unfolding the piece of paper.
Once it was unfolded, nicely printed black writing seemed to show like the color red in a huge mass of white. The words stood out to him as if it was a dream, yet he couldn’t fully relate to them. It said:
Hear me, I have come to warn you now, and now only. Twice a week, you'll receive a notice of instructions...and for every time you do not complete these instructions...you will be the cause of an instant death. If you do not believe me...I’ll show you now.
As he was finishing the last word...a gunshot rang throughout the area. People turned towards others, trying to make sense if they heard things. And then again, another shot, a little closer. A few yards ahead from where Ray was standing at Basking Robins, a hand flew out from an alley corner with a few drops of blood splattering around it. Not many seemed to notice and the ones who did just watched, waiting for someone else to step in. Ray immediately ran to the man as fast as he could, Domelle screaming on the way n Nero in shock, taking his sisters arm, and running after Ray, cell phone in hand, calling the police.
Ray slid to the man, resting his head firmly on his chest, checking for a heartbeat. There was one but it was faint. “There’s a heartbeat! He’s still breathing!” he called out to Nero who had just started speaking to the police, standing right behind Ray.
Ray began CPR as Domelle stood there and watched, after a few seconds a figure in the alleyway finally disappeared catching Ray's eye. Ray bolted his head towards the alley n got up and ran in by the corner and yelled, “Domelle?! Do CPR ok? You and Nero figure out that stuff while I try and catch him!”
“Do what?! Ray! Who are you—? Ugh! Ok...ok... I can do this... I can do this!” she got down on her knees and began to attempt CPR, in less than 10 seconds, Nero snarled and gave her the phone and pushed her out of the way and began the CPR, who has had practice during the summer 2 months before this day, at the public pool for a job. It was required.
10:56 a.m. Ray ran as fast as he could through every crack and corner he could squeeze himself into as he caught glimpses of the murderer. At last he was lured into the middle of a misty meadow with graves surrounding the outsides. He looked around hoping to find the culprit, but so far, was nowhere to be found.
He stepped in dead middle of the meadow and froze with the tallest grave before him, which was also a statuette of a female angel with a cross behind her. The grave name read “Jay Armstrong” in a silver plate, attached to the middle of the statuette. Moss covered parts of it making parts of the description and name along with the date of death, hard to read.
A few seconds later a man, dressed with a black trench coat, a magician hat, and a black masquerade tux mask. He literally looked like a boy dressed in multi different costumes, like a dancer to a murderer. It was a pitiful sight to see a full grown man dressed like this.
The man’s mouth curled into a wicked smile, and soon after began a maniacal laugh. He definitely wasn’t the right guy to meet out of nowhere on an empty street. This guy just plane looked insane!
The man stopped and glared at him, his unnaturally large mouth drooping down like a sad face in cartoons. “You are Ray Benson, correct?” he asked with distaste.
“Depends on who’s asking.” Ray replied plainly.
The man laughed the same creepy laugh as before only kept his curled smiled at the end. “My name is David Marcre and I am here to be your messenger. You should expect to see me around, quite often! Do not forget who I am for there will be a consequence.” He snarled the last word, his long, greasy, grey hair falling in his face as he stood there, glaring at the sight of Ray, as if to not understand why he had brought him here in the first place.
Ray glared back with sharp, blue eyes which likely seemed to nearly pierce the man’s soul. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with him after killing a man with no purpose but an example to it.
“Hehe I can see you desire. I hope you aren’t the boy you used to be...well...i guess it fully doesn’t matter, the real purpose of this is for...oh yeah...that’s what the boss said not to tell you. I guess you'll just have to figure this out on your own. If you don't by the last note...your friends and everyone you know...will die, or if you rather, maybe just an innocent person. It's up to you to see if you're ready or not.” and with that the man left, sirens blurring the sounds of the sky.
Ray stood there, holding in his anger, trying not to curse. Police men came and surrounded the area, two beside him asking him questions like, “Who was the man,” “Did you see his face,” “Are you okay,” “Where did he go now,” and, “What happened?” that was all that seemed to go around him. With a few words he said. “A man named David Marcre just up and left just like that.
Domelle and Nero caught up, standing their worried behind him. Ray turned around and started toward them, head down. Nero and Domelle walked with him, not even daring to say a word. The rest of the day they sat quietly at Ray's house, scared to speak. Domelle and Nero rarely ever saw Ray mad; it was pretty hard to upset him. Even after all the insults Domelle makes, it never seemed to anger him. After all, they had only seen Ray mad once in their entire life of knowing him.
Domelle walked over next to Ray, sitting beside him on the couch afraid to speak, starring at him. Ray looked a lot out of it like he was about to pass out. He didn’t seem well at all! With a glance, Ray looked at her glaring and finally was able to say, “If you have something to say then say it.”
Domelle knew he wasn’t trying to be mean. In fact, Ray was one of the nicest people whom she knew. He never meant to make anyone sad or mad or feel in any negative way. He actually hated seeing people, mostly women and especially Domelle cry, seeing how she was his best friend other than Nero.
She tilted her head down and huffed, holding back her questions that probably everyone who saw wanted to ask. She didn’t want to aggravate him anymore than he already was. She just wanted this to never happen, but surely some? good would come to this! She just knew it!
Nero stood up, starring at Ray and Domelle, hesitating whether or not to walk over there. He decided to walk over, and when he did, he knelt down in front of Ray and said, “Ray...we need to know what happened earlier...and most important if you're going to be alright.”
Ray shot up and exploded, replying “Of course not! Do you really think that watching a man get shot in front of you and that it’s because of me, is going to make myself feel OK?! You would really have to be out of your freakin’ mind if you thought that!” he looked at Nero in a sorry manner and sat back down, hoping he didn’t offense him in anyway.
Nero smiled half heartedly and looked at Ray, dead in the eye, “You aren’t alone, so you don't need to keep everything to yourself. If it’s that bad then you SHOULD tell us. In fact were staying here tonight just so we know you'll be alright!”
Ray, not wanting to interrupt a dead serious glare to his face especially with eye contact, nodded slowly, hardly paying attention what he was agreeing too.
10:56 p.m. Ray lay in his unmade bed, listening to the clock tick on his dresser. He looked over to the right, Domelle and Nero asleep on each couch. Domelle, laying on her right side, curled up, her blanket to her waist and down, her red tank top standing out the most with the white covers, and her hands hugging the pillow her head gently rested on. Nero on the other hand, legs spread out, covers on his left leg and only on his right foot sprawled on the couch, slept the complete opposite the way Domelle slept.
Ray smiled and sat up, his black t-shirt all ruffled, his black hair all messy from moving around trying to sleep. Ray looked over to the glass doors, and grinned, walking over to it. He stepped one foot outside on the cold pavement of the balcony, taking his blanket from inside and stepped out completely, half closing the door. He sat there, under the starry night, its moonlit glow spreading over the tree, stairs, houses, and city. The night breeze splashed through Ray's face, touching him with a cool touch of fresh wind, telling him it was near to winter.
Ray closed his eyes imaging absolute nothing, just smelling the fresh air breeze and listening to the wind sing through the night. After a few minutes of absolutely nothing, a fire work went off. Ray jumped at the sudden sound, but felt relieved that it was just a firework from probably a crazy guy in his class at school. Ray could hear a loud brief snore and knew at that instant, it was Domelle. The only timed she made a single snore (usually loud), was when a loud noise of movement was near, or when she turned. It was cute really.
Ray stretched lying down, his heart turning back to its normal speed. Ray starred in his room, reading the clock which read: 11:11. Ray stretched once more, standing up, and started toward the glass door, the shades dangled slightly as he approached them. And with a hand, he slid the door to the left, making one foot in before something nailed him from behind. Ray fell face first into the carpet, half his body in and the other half out. A loud chuckle arose behind him as turned to see David Marcre. Ray turned and sat there, closing the glass doors so that not much noise would enter the house to awake Domelle and Nero.
“Haha, I see you’ve brought friends over! Isn’t that a risky move? What if they're the ones who I seek next? Huh, what will you do then, boy?!” this time David was wearing a sad joker mask, a magician hat with a purple ribbon, and a magician/tux.
Ray sat there glaring at him, staying silent before anything else. David reached down, slapped him and handed him a letter, looking disgusted for Ray. “You should really welcome your guests when they arrive!”
“So sorry, but I have a feeling I never invited you.” Ray said; his ice cold expression seemed to finally get through to the man this time, then the last failed attempt. Ray opened the letter, eyeing David as he stood there, arms crossed, glaring down at Ray, nearly the same height as him.
The letter read:
Well I sure hope you enjoyed the game so far, but don't fray why there are still things we need to play. Remember that every rule or obstacle you break, you pay for it with another persons’ life! Don't have me catch you in the midst of that. I know how bad it affects you!
Your next obstacle is to go to the location of where the fire happened. I'm sure you know what I mean... be there by 5 p.m. tomorrow. Alone. If anyone accompanies you, know that it is they, who will receive the punishment!
Please tell my dear friend Marcre that he has business to attend to as well; that the bloody roses need to be cleaned up. If he refuses, do tell him that his punishment will be that he has to take out the role of the joker. Thank you Ray, have a good day. Please try not to mess up; I know for a fact that Marcre has to pick it up by the end. And at last, farewell...
Ray glared down, squishing the now ruined paper in his palm, crushing it with all his might. It was so hard, that he could feel a wet tickle running down his hand as he began digging his finger nails in the meaty part of his palm. David grinned at the sight of blood and took the letter, Ray glaring up at him with his cold eyes. Marcre chuckled slightly and read the page.
“You know that it’s very rude to look through someone else’s mail.”
“Why yes, I did know that actually. Hehe, kids are so easy to annoy.”
“Does that mean your one as well?!” he snarled back at Marcre.
Marcre shrugged with a wicked smirk and groaned at the last paragraphs words in the letter. “Great, now I have to clean up that son of a b****! Anyhow, make sure you don't fail, brat!” Marcre shouted jumping off the balcony and ran off into the city night.
Ray was especially tired, he felt like he was going to pass out. Ray walked in, taking his blanket, and laid in his bed, not giving a single thought to the world as he made his way into a deep, dark...slumber...

9:38 a.m. Ray awoke with a sudden pain with yet a pleasant smell; Domelle was cooking breakfast whereas Nero continued sleeping. He never awoke until the bacon would be started, must have been natural instinct to awake when the sweet smell of scrumptious bacon was being made. Ray sat up, clutching his belly with a tasteful delight of the wanting for the delicious food. Domelle had a natural talent for cooking. It must have been a womanly talent.
“Good morning!” Domelle said with a smile, making eggs and French toast in two pans, flipping them every few seconds of pushing them down so it’d get an even golden brown. “Sleep well?”
Ray sat there, wondering if all that had happened last night was a dream. He looked down at his hands and fall back on his pillow, a sudden crunch sparking his attention. Domelle looked at his curiously, knowing better than to disrupt his concentration on he seemed to be thinking. She knew Ray was still not healed enough to speak much for what happened with that civilian. Ray dug his hand under his pillow, clutching what it seemed to be and swiped it out, red droplets dropping onto his covers. He had gotten a paper cut from a crumbled up piece of paper.
He up raveled the fist sized piece of paper, looking at his with deep, sensual eyes. It was another not probably from the “boss” or Marcre, also known apparently as the “Joker”. He relooked at it and began to read. It said:
Sorry for the pest Marcre, I do apologize. Hope you don’t mind me coming in to slip this under your pillow for you. Hehe…don’t forget that you need to be there…hope you didn’t forget the time and place…remember the consequence! When you do come, and most reassured…alone…you will be able to meet me. Not that you haven't already, but I find more joy in this than telling you anymore than I have wrote for now. Why should I ruin all the fun?! Also, try not to get any more paper cuts; we don’t need Marcre's bloodlust to awaken. He goes quite wild at the site of blood…especially if he’s bored! And trust me…I've made sure he’s been pretty bored, just for you!
And don’t think I'm cruel in this little game; I assure you that you'll love me at the end. And don’t think I haven’t forgotten to give you clues; you'll get some here and there. But you won’t be able to end this game, until the last letter comes. Perhaps this will help:

I have died once…but the ashes I flourish in overplay in the remnants of your memories. You’ve never forgotten me, but as my death suited this, you died too.
Well now, doesn’t that help? Anyways…hope to see you soon…I’d be very sad and angry if you don’t show…very angry. Don’t let me down, Ray!
With that, Ray froze, Domelle running over to him, dropping her spatula. She sensed the trauma going through his mind, rippling through with havoc. She put her hand on his shoulder which seemed to tremble under her fingertips. His pupils were as huge as ever that you could almost stare through his eyes and see the hated and anger within his mind. Domelle sat there, not knowing what to do. She knew she had to do something, anything, for that matter. She couldn’t bear to watch as he sank in his sadness and guilt.
“Ray…are you going to be alright? What did…the note say? …was it Marcre? I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“His…boss…sent me his own…letter…I…I have to go” Ray replied, sitting up. Domelle pushed him back down in a sitting position and hugged him, trying to let him know that she would always be there for him.
“Ray…you can’t go…not without any backup. You could get killed! And besides… we took tae kwon do and made black belt. We can all handle this. After this we can go to the police and—”
“No. you are NOT coming with me anywhere and the police can’t get involved. I can do it myself.”
“Well…if you’re going to be stubborn about it…at least have breakfast before you go anywhere…I’m going to go and wake—”
“No…don’t wake him up…but after I leave. Promise?”
“…fine. Ill cook the bacon last…now hurry up and fix yourself a plate!”
10:32 a.m. Ray finally finished his plate of scrambled eggs, buttered toast, bacon, and his root beer. Yes…root beer. He always had it for breakfast, it was a habit. Domelle got onto him a lot about that, but in the end, he never seemed to change it. Nero and Domelle were sitting at the table, waiting for him to finish, and now that he was finally, they stared at him, waiting for him to decide what to do before he would do whatever the note had said.
“Finished. ...thank you Domelle that was very delicious.”
Nero looked at Ray and began, “What the hell are you thinking of doing? What did that cursed letter say already?! You can't keep keeping us in the dark forever Ray. If you do, we’ll just have to find out for ourselves.”
“Not if you can't keep up with what I do. And besides…I can just divert you into another direction.”
“Come on Ray…you know that’s not fair!” Domelle pleaded, interrupting, slamming her hands on the table.
“Actually, it is fair. Fair enough anyway. If you two accompany me, you'll just get yourself hurt and this is my business, not yours.”
“It became our business when that child gave the letter to me first.” Nero said, glaring, trying to make his point clear.
“The letter was for me though…you just happened to be the one who had to deliver it to me.”
“So what now…am I the delivery guy? Ray, you have to do better than that to make me stay. You’re not leaving anywhere without us, and if you do, we’ll call the police!”
Ray jumped up in rage and yelled, “NO! That’s exactly what I don’t want you to do! Got it?! Just trust me, I can't get myself killed. If I were to be killed, then they know that the fun would stop and that’s not what they want. You don’t have to worry about me, ok?! I’ll be fine!”
“Ray…listen. We know that your family died a long time ago, but you don’t have to worry about us. We don’t want to leave you. That’s why we’re trying to help you.”
“Domelle, I understand that but I said no, and if it’s MY business, which it is, then you won’t interfere. What I say goes, and that’s just what you and your brother are going to have to deal with.”
Domelle, full of tears, put her head down, trying to fight her rage within. Well…it didn’t exactly work… “Ray! You never listen! You never include us in anything! We’re always left in the dark and you never let us help you. Come on…” she started, calming down, tears streaming down her face. “you’ve got to let someone in on helping you!” and with that, Domelle ran out of the house, and took the UV, driving back to her house.
Nero sighed and looked at Ray, hand firmly on his shoulder, “If you aren’t going to let us help, then be careful. I can't promise Domelle will stay out of it. But if you DO happen to need us, were here for you. I understand you’d want privacy in all this. Just let us know what happens, ok?” Nero said, brushing his hand off Rays shoulder, walking out the door, walking all the way to his house to check on Domelle.
3:44 p.m. Ray stood on his doorstep, getting ready to leave, armed with a dark grey or light black one of his long, heirloom samurai swords, a gun, and brass knuckles. He knew something had to be done with Marcre, and this “boss”. The fresh air seemed into his lungs, giving him a big sigh and, clenching his fists, he reached into his pocket, holding out his key, and shrugged, putting it within his back pocket.
On the other hand, Nero finally reached home after walking for a few hours, a few stops here and there, and clenched the door knob with his hand. The cool metal under his finger tips sent a slight chill down his spine. He twisted the knob and walked into the porch, closing the door. He bent down, snatching his shoes from his feet and slid them crisscrossed and huffed, thinking about what Ray and Domelle were up to. He opened the door to a sweet aroma in the kitchen of apple-cinnamon. He took a big woof and let out the air within his lungs, with pleasure. He walked out of the kitchen, into the fancy dining room that Domelle had probably polished. She always did something when she was nervous and in this case it was the dining room.
He started walking towards the living room when a small cry and voices came from the upstairs. Nero through his head above a few stairs, and glanced up. Nothing except the same noises, only more clear. Nero raced up the stairs, skipping one in between, and looked to the right of the hall where Domelle bedroom was.
Nero opened Domelle’s door, slipping his cool, slim fingers twisting around the knob and with a slight twist and tug, the door opened, making a creaking sound. He peeked in and found Domelle on her cell; it on speaker phone. Then the words ran through the speaker, acknowledging that they were the police. Nero slammed the doors open, looking as if he were horrified with the fact that she had called the police. Domelle gave a sorry look as if she didn’t mean for it to happen. At that instant, Nero ran to her cell, tackling her on her bed, and tried grabbing the phone.
Domelle on the other hand kept waving it away from him so that he couldn’t get to it. Nero snarled before finally grabbing it, Domelle yelling “Get off of me”, “No, I have to call them” and “What the hell are you doing” type of phrases. The person over the phone was saying something like “What’s going on miss” “Are you alright” “We’re on our way over”. Nero finally got hold of the cell and turned it off as the woman said her last word over the phone.
“Why…Ray needs help and this is how to do that!” Domelle shrieked, kicking Nero off of her bed, glaring.
“Because…it’s not what Ray would have wanted us to do. Domelle, we just have to trust him. If there’s something that bad, then yes. We’ll call the police. And I also made a promise I wouldn’t before I walked in. by the way, don’t take the car again…it took me forever to walk home!”
“Only because you lingered with the chicks on the street.” With this, Nero turned a deep red shade in the face, diverting his eyes to the bed. “I thought that’s why. It only takes 45 minutes to get from Ray’s house to ours…you took 3 hours!”
“Yeah, I guess that sounds pretty bad. Oh well, that’s not all I did?!”
Domelle teared up, ignoring the rest of what he said. “Do you…do you think that Ray’s going to recover from all of this? I mean…so much has happened in his life that I don’t think he ever did…and I don’t know if he ever will.”
Nero looked at her, his normal color gathering back into his face. He hesitated a few moments before answering, “I honestly don’t know, Domelle. I wish I did but…I guess it can't be helped. All we can do is be there for him and hopefully help. Just being there I know his helping him enough but…there really isn’t much we can do.”
“Won’t we go to jail for not saying what we know about all this to the police. And wouldn’t that just make us a bad friend?”
Nero didn’t answer. All he was trying to do is keep his friend and not drive him insane. “If we did tell the police, you think that he would just tell the police everything or would he deny it?” Domelle sat there speechless, the hair on the back of her neck prickling up. A sudden chill swiped through her as she ran those words through her head over and over. “Exactly what I mean; we can't tell unless we know something really bad is going to happen with him.”
Ray walked faster, the sun blazing its heat on him. He threw everything in his truck, locking it under the seat so that he knew where it would be at all times and nobody else but Domelle and Nero would guess. He grinned at the thought of Nero and Domelle. He was indeed a little sad, they were his best friends after all and the thought that he may never come back did frighten him. Of course they would keep him alive but there’s a limit as to how far you can push a person’s temper. A sudden chill rubbed down his spine. He knew he wouldn’t be the right person for this type of job.
Ray could see them so real in his mind. If he had a choice, he would’ve brought them. But they just don’t need to be tormented with the thought of every second for the rest of their life that something bad’s always going to happen. He just couldn’t be responsible for their death. If he was…he probably could never live with himself again. Ever. He just knew something had to be done with Marcre and the “Boss”.
Ray found himself driving, somehow averting his way from crashing even though he never had realized he had even stated his truck. This is the second time in his life that that had happened. Ray sighed quickly and looked in the road ahead of him. No cars, no rodents running across or already smashed on the side or dead center of the road, no birds, and no clouds. Just nothing, except his self and his truck.
Come to think of his, his truck wasn’t really that bad of shape considering it a 3 year ride for him. He remembered the first time getting it, Nero and him looking at vehicles on Ray’s 16th birthday. Nero made horrible jokes about his car and when Ray fell in love with it, like the “Love at First Sight” type of thing, Nero bought it, right off the bat. Ray drove it everywhere for the first three weeks before realizing he didn’t want to ruin it, so he kept it in his drive-way, only using it about four times a month. He cleaned it about every other time he used it, mostly because he would use it the whole day in the sandy areas in the country or the back roads, racing Domelle on her four-wheeler.
Out of nowhere, the truck sped up, losing control; something like a person hitting the windshield. Ray slammed on the breaks, trying to go to a complete halt. The truck kept going, throwing him off course, a metal hook slashed through the cracked windshield, scraping Ray’s cheek. Ray slammed against the right, lying on the seats, the truck crashing in the slippery ditch. The red essence of blood trickled down the side of his face, to his cheek, some leaking in his eye, and down on the seat cover. Ray was knocked unconscious, the truck on its side, filling up with another substance that dirt stuck to.
Meanwhile, Domelle and Nero sat on her bed, reminiscing about the old days, and how they all came to meet, which was kind of a weird way of thinking. Ray was a new student, Nero and Domelle being very popular, always hung out with the higher up kids, hardly noticing him. Until one day, Ray got so mad and poured a whole thing of strawberry yogurt on Domelle shirt. Domelle, being more of a tomboy than anything, threw her spaghetti at him, hitting Nero. Only reason for that being that Ray ducked. After a half hour long food fight, Ray, Nero, and Domelle were close and stuck together afterwards. They did keep their old friends, but the twins hung more and more with Ray ever since, with ¾ of their time with him and ¼ their time with their older friends. Of course Domelle pretended to still hate Ray but it broke here and there until she gave up and finally just kept being nice to him ever since.
Domelle and Nero laughed at this, remembering how gross the food felt in their hands. When they finished, silence struck the rom. The thought of Ray lingered in their minds with a thought of uneasiness. A sudden knocking broke the silence, Domelle jumping to her feet. Nero opened the door of the bedroom and listened. “We’re coming in!” said a voice from behind the door. Nero ran down the steps, turning into the dining room, and to the door, quickly opening it before anyone broke down the door. A woman and a man stood there in a nicely dressed, police uniform. Nero looked at the questionably at them, Domelle walking behind him, and over his shoulder.
“Good, now put your hands over your head and don’t move! Anything you say or do will be held against you in the—” the female cop named Janice, said disgustedly.
Nero put his hands over his head, unaware as to what was going on. “Wait! He’s my brother! He didn’t do anything! I was the one who made the call!”
“If you are who you say you are then I would be more than happy to know your name! And hurry, I don’t have all day!” she said, un patiently, he yellow tinted ID that read Janice Hartstock on it flickered with the light from the sun, nearly blinding them. “I’m Domelle…and I’m the one who made the call earlier…” she said, half ashamed.
Janice looked at her intently, trying to read her face and most definitely her eyes. Eyes always tell if you’re lying or telling the truth. They even reveal some of your most inner thoughts and how stable you seem. Janice finally nodded and released her hard grip on Nero. Nero looked at her confused as to how she or ANY woman could in fact, be that strong in their entire life. She seemed to be a man rather than a woman. Maybe a woman in disguise, he thought.
Ray awoke with a hard feeling to his head. He felt heavy, and worse was that he couldn’t move. Ray struggled, trying to keep his eyes open. His muscles tensing and hurting, a wet essence seemed to flow down his leg. Blood. That was probably blood. The thought of blood made ray want to hurl, but he couldn’t. It just wasn’t worth hurling over. Just pretend its red colored water. Then it’ll be fine, ray thought.
Ray tried moving but gasped with a sharp pain. He moved his arm, leaning on it, sprawled across the front seat. He tried moving his left arm to the left, towards his buckle. The shock that sent up through his veins was almost unbearable. What was worse was that the buckle was stuck so he couldn’t move to see what the problem was. He gasped again n tried moving his legs up in a sitting position, but he had no feeling in them. That was probably the problem. Ray tried yelling for help, but his throat was blocked and no scream of any kind came out.
I don’t want to die. I can’t die! If I die now then…what will happen?! Will Domelle and Nero come looking for me? If they do…will Marcre go after them? I fell…tired. I hope I don’t die…I don’t want to. And this truck…it can’t either! Nero gave it to me…and if it goes as well as me…then he’ll be angry. And Domelle with her stubborn head as well. What will…I do…?
Ray sat there, tears going down his face, trying to hold it in…he couldn’t. The tears washed down his cheek after a few brief moments, not being able to hold it in any longer. The years he refused to cry has finally been broken.